Faithless Brewing MTG: Modern and Pioneer for the Spike Rogue

Modern Horizons / Core Set 2020, Episode 12: The Ultimate Guide to Stoneforge Mystic

 

It was a difficult week for the Faithless Family, as we had to say goodbye to one of our own. Faithless Looting, the best card in Modern, breaker of formats and giver of value, was struck down in the prime of its life, taken from us by a cruel stroke of research and development. Dear Looting, you shall be missed.

 

There is no rest for the weary, however, as a new powerhouse has been unleashed upon the Modern format. Stoneforge Mystic has arrived to thunderous applause and is already dominating the MTGO leagues, with no fewer than 27(!) distinct Stoneforge decks appearing in the first 5-0 deck dump. It is a time of wild experimentation, and we are here to guide you through all the different ways to make Batterskull and friends. You won't want to miss this one!

 

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Flashback: Elementals

 

Bant Vesperlark: 5-5 leagues, an acceptable combo deck with a good ability to grind thanks to Risen Reef. Lack of interaction makes it difficult to keep up with aggressive strategies.

 

 

RB Thunder Forger: 5-5 leagues, Thunderkin is massively defanged by the loss of Faithless Looting, and this deck can never defeat a Batterskull. The Shaman core remains surprisingly powerful though.

 

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Brew Session: Stoneforge Mystic

 

Stoneforge lists from around the web, all from within the first two days of the card's legality. For the full Friday 5-0 deck dump, complete with 27 distinct Stoneforge lists, click here.

 

 

UWx StoneBlade

 

 

UW Stoneblade (Todd Anderson)

 

 

UW Stoneblade (Emma Handy)

 

 

UW Stoneblade (Ben Friedman)

 

 

Jeskai Stoneblade (Todd Anderson)

 

 

Esper Stoneblade (Todd Anderson)

 

 

UrzaBlade

 

 

Esper UrzaBlade (Samuel Graebner, 16-4 leagues)

 

 

UW UrzaBlade (kanister)

 

 

4c Urza (Ross Merriam)

 

 

UW Urza (Bryan Gottlieb)

 

 

 

BW Midrange

 

 

BW SewerBlade (CalebD, 5-0 league)

 

 

BW Ale-Drazi (xjcloud, 5-0 league)

 

 

Existing Combo w/ Stoneforge Support

 

 

Jeskai Saheeli Elementals (Jan Huang, 5-0 league)

 

 

4c Snowheeli Blade (Ross Merriam)

 

 

Bant Devoted Blade (Ross Merriam)

 

 

Bant Midrange

 

 

Bant Snowblade (aspiringspike, 5-0 league)

 

 

Bant Snowblade (SaffronOlive, 5-0 league)

 

 

Bant SpiritBlade (Emma Handy)

 

 

White Aggro

 

 

Mono-W CawBlade (aspiringspike, 5-0 league)

 

 

Mono-W Cawblade (kponce, 5-0 league)

 

 

Miscellaneous Midrange

 

Abzan Midrange (Reid Duke)

 

 

Naya ZooBlade (Wyatt Darby)

 

 

GW EldraziBlade (Ryan Overturf)

 

 

Equipment Combo

 

 

RW Hammertime (CalebD, 3-1 league)

 

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Modern Horizons / Core Set 2020, Episode 11: Elementals Week

 

The Elemental tribe is rising from the reef with a host of new printings from Modern Horizons and Core 2020. Thunderkin Awakener has already established itself as a player alongside Lightning Skelemental, but Risen Reef has brewers experimenting with all five colors of the rainbow. The decks are already sweet, and we've barely begun to scratch the surface of what this tribe can do. Will Vesperlark give Altar of Dementia a second chance at breaking Modern? Does Master of Waves push Risen Reef over the top? Can Thunderkin Awakener breathe new life into Rage Forger aggro? Join us this week for a journey to the Primal Beyond, as we discuss all things Elementals with some slick new brews.

 

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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com

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Timestamps

 

02:30 Lame Duck Modern + the post-Hogaak Metagame

 

17:40 Elemental Tribal: What We've Seen So Far

 

26:10 Brewing Elementals with the Scryfall Method

 

45:41 4c Vesperlark Value-Combo (Brew #1)

 

57:00 Bant Vesperlark Combo (Brew #1b)

 

1:02:45 RB Thunder Forger (Brew #2)

 

1:09:30 Temur Thunder Vine (Brew #2b)

 

Other lists referenced:

 

• Rakdos Skelemental (LordoftheLobsters, 6-1 Modern Challenge)

 

Skelemental, Thunderkin, Unearth, and Ball Lightning, plus Seasoned Pyro/Faithless Looting + standard B/R spell package, a couple Arcanists thrown in.

 

 

• Mardu Pyromancers (Kensuke Kato, 6-4 MC Barcelona)

 

Basically the same, but trimming Thunderkins and dropping Ball Lightning to make room for copies of Young Pyromancer, Lingering Souls, Smiting Helix.

 

 

• Jund 8-Ball (Victor Falcone, SCG IQ top 8)

 

8-Balls + Collected Company + Pelt Collector, the worst creature in Modern.

 

 

• 5c Skelementals (Elfkid, 5-0 league)

 

Risen Reef and a random assortment of creatures. Aether Vial + the tribal lands (Cavern, Unclaimed Territory, Primal Beyond) + Smokebraider enable all 5 colors.

 

 

•  5c Risen Reef (perseel, 5-0 league x2)

 

There are 2 more 5-0 "5c Elemental" lists that do not run Skelemental.

 

 

• Bant Risen Company (milikin, 5-0 league)

 

Reef as a value creature in Bant Company, with light Elemental package (mainly Voice of Resurgence).

 

 

• Jund Shamans (Caleb Durward, 5-0 league x2)

 

Rage Forger + a bunch of terrible creatures that happen to be Shamans.

 

 

• All-in Vesperlark Combo (Liam Cahalan)

Turbo mill to assemble Vesperlark + sac outlet + Image/Body Double.

 

• 5c Master of the Reef (Caleb Durward)

Miscellaneous 5c elementals, including Shorecrasher Elemental for increased devotion.

 

• Amulet Reef Combo (u/Jrax)

Play your whole deck with Amulet of Vigor + Risen Reef (explanation here).

 

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Modern Horizons / Core Set 2020, Episode 10: Niv-Mizzet Deep Dive

 

It's a Hogaak summer, it is what it is, but Niv's a 5-star dragon and we know he's got it lit. Dan and Damon spread their wings over Minneapolis last weekend with a new build of Rainbow Niv-Mizzet. The deck is sweet, but can you really cash a Grand Prix with a Faithless Brew? Yes, yes you can! Damon notched a 9-4-2 finish in the main event, and the deck is poised to get even better in the post-Hogaak metagame.

 

This week the crew breaks down everything Niv-Mizzet: our testing process, manabase considerations, sideboarding and matchup analysis, and recommendations for the build going forward. You won't want to miss this one!

 

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Niv-Mizzet GP Deck Tech (Damon)

 

Friday MCQ Decklist (Damon + Dan)

 

Saturday GP Decklist (Damon + Dan)

 

Sunday MCQ Decklist (Dan)

 

Hogaak without Leylines (Andrew Wolbers, Sunday MCQ Winner)

 

Unexpected Tron deck tech (Nathan Graves, Saturday round 6 feature match)

Modern Horizons / Core Set 2020, Episode 9: Fundamentals of Brewing

 

It's a homecoming week for the Faithless Brewing crew, as we descend on the Twin Cities for Grand Prix Minneapolis. In this episode, we discuss the fundamentals of brewing competitive rogue decks: how do you go from spark of an idea to finished decklist? What are some guidelines for constructing successful brews, and what are the common pitfalls? We are joined by special guest and master brewer Rhett Wilfahrt.

 

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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com

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Flashback: Watcher for Tomorrow

 

Watcher Blink: 3-2 league, Ephemerate is very powerful

Modern Horizons / Core Set 2020, Episode 8: Watcher for Tomorrow

 

Look at your top 4 cards and choose the best one. Then, do it again. And again. As many times are you can blink! Watcher for Tomorrow offers selection and value reminiscent of Narset or even Dig Through Time, all stapled onto an efficient creature. The only catch? You have to make him die. The crew thinks they are up to the task, with a few different possible shells. Which ones will have what it takes?

 

Spice Roundup

 

Snowy Niv-Mizzet: 5-1-1, SCG IQ Newington. Promising results with this snow manabase featuring Arcum's Astrolabe, Pillar of the Paruns, Search for Tomorrow and Wrenn and Six.

 

Brewers' Mailbag

 

What is the most competitive Faithless Brewing deck? This question is like an onion: many layered and with lots of tears. The crew peels it back as we ponder deck options for GP Minneapolis.

 

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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com

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Flashback: Yawgmoth, Thran Physician

 

The Yawgfather has many talents, from card draw, to board control, to infinite combos with undying creatures. But how much should we lean on this card? Is the undying combo viable as a primary plan, or should that be a secondary angle in a creature based aggro deck?

 

Monoblack Zombies: 2-3 league, was using its recursive creatures too fairly

 

4c Undying Evolution: 6-4 leagues, Neoform + undying allows for a strong aggro plan, but the list can definitely be streamlined

 

Reference lists:

 

Jund Superfriends (lucky_dragon, 5-0 league): an intriguing take on Yawgmoth + tokens for value

 

Brew Session: Watcher for Tomorrow

 

Jeskai Saheeli

 

Bant Blink (Sketch)

 

UW Hatebear Blink (Sketch)

 

Reference lists:

 

Bant Blink (TscheggschDePoegg, 5-0 league)

 

Bant Blink (Gabriel Nassif, Fandom Legends)

 

Eternal Command (Shota Yasooka, Players' Championship 2012)

Modern Horizons / Core Set 2020, Episode 7: Yawgmoth, Thran Physician

 

One month after Modern Horizons, the Good Doctor is well on his way to becoming a Modern staple. Free sacrifice outlets are powerful, free card draw is insane, and that's not even half of the card's text box! But is Yawgmoth best used as a value engine, a combo piece, or something in between? Brewers have been succeeding with both approaches, and the crew has a couple ideas of their own.

 

Brewers' Mailbag (New!)

 

Is it better to pick your best cards and play as many copies as you can, or is there value to playing a mix of 1-ofs? Does the equation change for main deck versus sideboard? What about for playtesting a deck versus registering for a tournament?

 

Have a question for us about the brewing process? Send them to us @FaithlessMTG and we will get to your question on air!

 

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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com

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Flashback: Brought Back

 

Brought Back for a land and another card is slick, and Brought Back for two lands is the slickest. But the resulting decks necessarily end up being white-based control, and graveyard-reliant on top of that. As great as Brought Back is, the ceiling for this card may just prove to be too low.

 

Bant Midrange v1: 8-7 leagues, functional but weaker than Karn version

 

Bant Midrange v2: 4-6 leagues, stronger, but still needs improvement

 

Sun Titan Control (fincown, 5-3 Modern Challenge): 3-2 league, solid but hard work

 

Abzan Shadow (cavedan, test deck): Brought Back maybe worse than Unearth here

 

Listener-submitted decks with Brought Back:

 

White Amulet (blakfishy, test deck): explosive but fragile

 

Eternal Value (breakfast4dinner911, test deck): needs more disruption

 

BW Smallpox (Matt Young, test deck): interesting planeswalker angle

 

Brew Session: Yawgmoth

 

Monoblack Yawgmoth (Sketch)

 

Yawgmoth Evolution (Sketch)

 

Yawgmoth Zombies (Nick Vallas)

 

Other lists referenced:

 

Unearth Zombies (zorloth, 6-3 Modern Challenge)

 

4c Yawgmoth (TheWillHallExp, 5-0 league)

 

Sultai Aristocrats (visitor636, 5-0 league)

 

Mardu Pyromancer (MisterKite, 5-0 league)

 

Jund Superfriends (lucky_dragon, 5-0 league)

Modern Horizons / Core Set 2020, Episode 6: Brought Back

 

Core Set 2020's Brought Back took a star turn during our Lotus Field deep dive a couple weeks ago. So naturally, we Brought it Back for another chance at Modern glory, this time as the featured build-around. Part ramp, part card draw, part reanimation, Brought Back offers a little bit of everything. The only catch? You have to play white. Dave has some ideas, but what did we miss?

 

Spice Roundup: New Takes on Old Favorites

 

The wicked Bridge is dead, so it is time for the brewers to come out to play. Spicy decks are everywhere in the 5-0 league results, including some nice takes on cards we have previously explored.

 

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Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner

 

Kiora's Dragons (Damon): 2-3 Modern Invitational, powerful but sideboard has "leaky bucket" problem

 

Niv-Mizzet Reborn

 

Glittering Niv (lan2_13, 5-0 league): six dorks, 4 Glittering Wish, light on green sources

 

Rainbow Snow (Jiggywiggy, 5-0 league): 10 snow basics + Astrolabe, no Pillar of Paruns

 

Force of Virtue

 

 

WR Loxobots (Erks, 5-0 league)

 

 

Oketra's Monument (Rebus8, 5-0 league)

 

 

Zoo Squad (jjenson187, 5-0 league; Hybrid7, 5-0 league)

 

 

Flashback: Crashing Footfalls

 

We hoofed it through a few leagues with Crashing Footfalls, trying out multiple strategies for getting the rhinos into play. The card was quite powerful in a number of shells, but in the end there could only be one winner of the Rhino Rumble.

 

UR Rhinos (KyFly1): 4-6 test leagues, strong but narrow in scope

 

 

Restore Rhinos (Jakesbaked): 5-0 test league, felt more versatile against a wide field

 

 

BR Free (Dzy): 1-4 test league, fragile and very hard to cast Footfalls

 

 

Temur Ascendancy (SvenSveeterSven, 5-0 league)

 

Brew Session: Brought Back

 

Bant Brought Back (Sketch)

 

 

Naya Landfall (Sketch)

 

If you have a list with Brought Back, or suggestions for one of our builds, we would love to hear from you! Send us your build and we may feature it on next week's episode of the cast.

 

Contact Us

 

Twitter: @FaithlessMTG

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Homepage: faithlessbrewing.podbean.com

Modern Horizons, Episode 5: Crashing Footfalls

 

Are you ready for a RHINO RUMBLE?!? Crashing Footfalls joins the lineage of "can't be cast" suspend cards that are historically powerful and ripe for abuse. The combination with Ancestral Visions gives a critical mass of generically powerful suspend cards, in contrast to all-in build-arounds like Living End, Restore Balance, or Wheel of Fate. But what is the best route for casting the Rhinos, and from which zone? Are we willing to wait for them, or do we need to make our Rhinos right now?

 

Roundup: Brewing After Hogaak

 

They actually did it. Bridge from Below got the axe after just four weeks on Magic Online. The crew discusses the post-ban metagame: what's still strong, what may rise again, and what a brewer should be prepared to face. Also: decks we plan to test in preparation for GP Minneapolis.

 

Flashback: Lotus Field

 

We put Lotus Field through its paces in four different builds, discovering quite a bit of clunk (drawing the 2nd copy is awful, Blood Moon and Damping Sphere are embarrassing) but also unlocking several powerful synergies. Blood Sun and the Brought Back + Flagstones + Ghost Quarter package were very solid and worthy of further exploration.

 

Blood Sun Eldrazi: 2-3 league, curve was disastrous, but Blood Sun is strong

 

RG Assault Loam: 2-3 league, needs speed and more versatile control elements

 

GW Brought Back: 3-2 league, Brought Back is strong, but needs better early plays

 

Twiddle Storm: 5-5 leagues, excellent in game 1, vulnerable after sideboarding

 

Brew Session: Crashing Footfalls

 

We take a slightly different approach this week, as several lists with Crashing Footfalls have already seen success. However, each of them tackles the "can't be cast" problem differently, opting to cheat the card into play either from hand, from graveyard, or from the top of the library. If you want to get really crazy, you can even suspend it the "normal" way and wait. Which routes are the most effective, and are there additional enablers that have not been fully explored?

 

Restore Dominance (Jakesbaked, 5-0 league x2)

Rhino enablers: 7 hand (As Foretold, Electrodominance), 2 graveyard (Finale of Promise). Green mana: yes.

 

UR As Foretold (KyFly1, 11-4 GP Dallas, 5-0 league, 6-2 Modern Challenge)

Rhino enablers: 8 hand (As Foretold, Electrodominance), 3 graveyard (Dreadhorde Arcanist). Green mana: no.

 

Black-Red Free (Dzy, 5-0 league)

Rhino enablers: 5 graveyard (Dreadhorde Arcanist, Finale of Promise), 4 hand (Electrodominance). Green mana: yes.

 

Living End "Fakeout" (MagicAids youtube + keatingn, 5-0 league)

Rhino enablers: 12 library (Violent Outburst, Demonic Dread, Bloodbraid Elf). Green mana: no.

 

Rhino Conjuring (Sketch)

Rhino enablers: 4 library (Collected Conjuring), 4 hand (As Foretold), 4 graveyard (Dreadhorde Arcanist, Finale of Promise). Green mana: TBD.

Modern Horizons / Core Set 2020, Episode 4: Lotus Field

 

What's better than a Black Lotus? How about a free Black Lotus every turn? Magic 2020's "fixed" version of Lotus Vale comes with a host of interesting clauses: hexproof, sacrifice two lands, enters the battlefield tapped. The crew sets out to use every part of the buffalo, either dodging the drawbacks or turning them into advantages. There might even be some 9/9 hexproof attackers in our future. But which builds are competitive, and which are just a field of memes?

 

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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com

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Roundup: The New Tier One

 

The results from GP Dallas and SCG Pittsburgh are in. Hogaak established itself as tier zero, but it didn't sweep the events. Instead, a new tier one emerged, starring Izzet Phoenix and UW Control. But don't blink, because the London Mulligan is already here to shake up the format, and a B&R announcement is right around the corner. Plus: a tournament report with BG Rock. Good old rock, nothing beats rock.

 

Grim Flayer Rock: 2-3 SCG IQ, some things do in fact beat Rock

 

Flashback: Force of Virtue

 

While Tom Ross was cruising to a top 8 finish with Hogaak Bridgevine, we were working hard trying to squeeze playable decks out of his pet design Force of Virtue. The card proved surprisingly good, and the combo with Squadron Hawk should not be underestimated. The most competitive shell also proved to be the most delightful: Goat Devotion, harnessing the power of Nykthos, Ranger-Captain of Eos, and Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite.

 

Mardu PyroHawk : 4-6 leagues, felt much better than its record, Seasoned Pyromancer is the truth

 

Goat Devotion: 8-7 leagues, surprisingly good, but weak to decks that don't care about combat

 

Turbo Elesh Norn: 4-1 league, Elesh Norn is very well positioned

 

Esper Skies: 3-2 league, needs more disruption, less Pride of the Clouds

 

Brew Session: Lotus Field

 

Naya Value Town (Sketch)

 

Blood Sun Eldrazi (Sketch)

 

One-Punch Land (Sketch)

 

Twiddle Storm (Sketch)

 

Contact Us

 

Twitter: @FaithlessMTG

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Homepage: faithlessbrewing.podbean.com

Faithless Brewing, Episode 9: Force of Virtue

 

White has a long history of getting shafted in cycles. Blue got Ancestral Recall, white got Healing Salve. Blue got Force of Will, white got Scars of the Veteran. Blue got Force of Negation, white got... Force of Virtue? Free spells are always worth a closer look, and the crew thinks this zero-mana Crusade might be sneakily competitive. We discuss potential builds of Mardu Tokens, Esper Skies, and Goat Devotion (no, not greatest of all time, just actual goats).

 

Roundup: Brewer's Guide to the Hogaak Meta

 

Hogaak continues to dominate the winners' meta in MTGO Premier events. Successful challengers last weekend skewed toward midrange and control, with creature aggro and big mana seemingly pushed out of the format. In the unified Modern League, though, it's a safari of wild brews. Plus: new cards with potential from Core 2020, and a tournament report from GP Seattle (undefeated on Day 2!).

 

Mardu Helix: 8-2 leagues, Smiting Helix is the truth.

 

Lantern Citadel: 6-4 leagues, effective against Hogaak.

 

Flashback: Ice-Fang Ninja Tempo

 

Ice-Fang Coatl proved to be a brilliant design: versatile and powerful, but requiring serious concessions to unlock deathtouch. The ninjas were all playable and surprisingly good, with Ingenious Infiltrator seemingly the best option, Mist-Syndicate Naga running second, and Fallen Shinobi the most greedy and least versatile.

 

BUG "Little" Ninjas: 6-4 leagues, Infiltrator and Seer are good, slow cards (Spellstutter, Snapcaster, Opt) are iffy. Sideboard needs more sweepers.

 

BUG "Big" Ninjas: 4-1 league, land count is greedy, 4 Shinobi is too many.

 

UG Obsession: 1-4 league, unplayable, removal is too plentiful and cheap to protect a non-hexproof creature.

 

Bant Flash: 3-2 league, solid if no one is playing Tron. 

 

Queller Flash: 2-3 league, perfect deck for exhausting midrange slugfests.

 

Brew Session: Force of Virtue

 

Goat Devotion (Sketch)

 

Mardu Tokens (Sketch)

 

Esper Skies (Sketch)

 

Soul Sisters (Sketch)